Re: Way off Topic

[Guest guest]

More and more kids go to private schools here in Calif, especially the non-Catholic Christian ones. Most children in the U.S. still go to public schools, but on the East Coast I believe private school attendance is much more common. I have four public school teachers (and administrators) among my children, and our family is a staunch supporter of public education. We feel strongly that if private schools receive support in any form, public schools will only go down in performance and attendance. Free education for all, with no books or uniforms to buy in order to be able to attend, is part of our heritage. Of course it's not "free", it's tax supported. I can tell you that my grandchildren are each getting a great education at their public schools. Their parents wouldn't settle for anything less!

Kay Way off Topic

Hi everyone

I know this is way off the topic of bronch, but as members come from around the globe I thought it might be worth a discussion.

I was reading the paper & I read that in Australia 63% of children attend private schools - the majority of these would be Catholic schools. When I started teaching 70% of children went to govt schools & 30% went to private schools. There has been a stead increase in private schols over the years helped by the large amount of govt funding to assist them. Private schools are heavily funded in Australia.

Is this happening in other parts of the world?

Private schools have always been seen as more prestigious than govt schools.

Keep well everyone. Theresa

[Guest guest]

Kay, my husband taught in private schools for over thirty years. The most

interesting one was his last school, Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, ME. It's a

VERY old school - Hancock signed the charter in 1892, and Webster

was once its Headmaster. It is a fully independent boarding school that also

functions as the public high school for several small towns around Fryeburg.

They have never had a public high school there - students always went to the

Academy after completing 8th grade, a tradition typical in many small towns and

rural areas. Of course, at that time, very few ever went beyond the 8th grade!

They DO receive tax money as they function as the public high school for that

school district. The taxpayers know they've got a great deal - small classes

(few are over 18), and lots of personal attention, plus the opportunity for

their children in this poor, rural area to meet students from all over the world

(many, if not most of the boarders are foreign).

But contrary to popular belief, most private schools feel they are best served

when there is a STRONG public school system in the area. They then must strive

to be still BETTER, and that is good for the community as a whole. They prefer

the name " independent schools " to " private " as that is what they are and what

they want to be - independent of anyone other than their Board of Trustees and

the accrediting body telling them how to run their schools. They do NOT want

government money as interference and control would come with it.

My own children attended both public and independent schools. My late husband

only attended independent schools, and I only attended public schools. All four

of my grandchildren are in public schools, mainly for financial reasons. I do

homework every afternoon with two of my grandchildren, and I have been

pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their education. No, they do not

get the art, music and PE that they would in an independent school. Their class

sizes are larger than ideal. If they were not so very bright, that might cause

them a problem as they would be hard-pressed to get the individual attention

they might need. On the other hand, if they are identified as having learning

disabilities, they do get small group attention every single day for about an

hour, something independent schools do NOT offer. Next year, my oldest grandson

will go to middle school. It is a science and math magnet school in a ghastly

neighborhood. I think the education he will get there will be fine; I have some

concerns about the environment.

I completely agree with you that independent and parochial/Christian schools

should NOT receive government funding. There is a place for both excellent

public schools, which are as you say a huge part of our heritage in the US, and

for independent schools. Most outstanding independent schools have huge

endowments and can offer financial aid to those who could not possibly afford to

attend otherwise. There is room and a need for both in our communities. But

our public schools must always remain strong.

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

I read just this past week that segregation in U.S. public schools is moreprevalent now than it was in the 60's and 70's! Neighborhood schools, anda lack of transportation dollars play a large role in that, I assume.My sister still lives in IL. and we were raised in small-town IL. We wentto public school our entire childhood. Her kids now do only private.She lives right behind a nice public school, however, they do thebusing there in her community. The school with which she sharesa back yard, is very poorly rated. Her children have never evenbeen inside the door of that very close school.My son does public school here in Orlando, Fl. We have the 3rd or 4thlargest school system in the U.S.- I say that as a concern and not aboast. He's in a neighborhood school and FL. schools do not

buskids from at-risk neighborhoods to better schools. His 2nd grade teacherlast year spoke 5 languages, Italian being her 1st. Her English waswithout any accent, even! Most principals here have their PhD.Sam's school has an extensive ESE (special education) department.We have 2 critical care RN's on staff everyday. They deal with feedingtubes, seizures, breathing tubes and EXTREME issues. We also havea 'health aid' in the front office that covers the basic fall-down injury andsick to the stomach. The ESE is all on it's own, few if any of the kidsare main-stream. These nurses will see kids like Sam from the mainstream classes, since he has so many health issues that just popup. That's typical in elementary, then we have the worry of Middle School. Like Suzanne's grandson, our magnet school that worksfor Sam's interests; math and science, is in a

TERRIBLEneighborhood! We will likely have to pay for private, because they do the magnet programs by a lottery. Kinda scary, becausethe Middle School that he will be bused to if he doesn't make thelottery is behind what looks like prison fencing.One thing Sam does have: P.E., music classes, and art classes.He does Spanish class on Mondays after school, which we payfor, but it's right there on school campus. These 'specials' asthey call it are at the expense of a vice-principal. We have hugely involved parent participation here, so discipline is not aterrible problem, in our neighborhood school at least. All of thischanges in Middle School. Suzanne, do you still live in ME?Doesn't Maine have generally great schools? Florida is rankedin the lower 3rd of national test scores and trained, professionalteachers, and graduation rates. We will have to go private

toavoid this issue in the future. eSubject: Re: Way off TopicTo: bronchiectasis Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 8:37 AM

Kay, my husband taught in private schools for over thirty years. The most interesting one was his last school, Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, ME. It's a VERY old school - Hancock signed the charter in 1892, and Webster was once its Headmaster. It is a fully independent boarding school that also functions as the public high school for several small towns around Fryeburg. They have never had a public high school there - students always went to the Academy after completing 8th grade, a tradition typical in many small towns and rural areas. Of course, at that time, very few ever went beyond the 8th grade! They DO receive tax money as they function as the public high school for that school district. The taxpayers know they've got a great deal - small classes (few are over 18), and lots of personal attention, plus the opportunity for their children in this poor, rural area to meet students from all over the world (many, if not most

of the boarders are foreign).

But contrary to popular belief, most private schools feel they are best served when there is a STRONG public school system in the area. They then must strive to be still BETTER, and that is good for the community as a whole. They prefer the name "independent schools" to "private" as that is what they are and what they want to be - independent of anyone other than their Board of Trustees and the accrediting body telling them how to run their schools. They do NOT want government money as interference and control would come with it.

My own children attended both public and independent schools. My late husband only attended independent schools, and I only attended public schools. All four of my grandchildren are in public schools, mainly for financial reasons. I do homework every afternoon with two of my grandchildren, and I have been pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their education. No, they do not get the art, music and PE that they would in an independent school. Their class sizes are larger than ideal. If they were not so very bright, that might cause them a problem as they would be hard-pressed to get the individual attention they might need. On the other hand, if they are identified as having learning disabilities, they do get small group attention every single day for about an hour, something independent schools do NOT offer. Next year, my oldest grandson will go to middle school. It is a science and math magnet school in a ghastly neighborhood. I think

the education he will get there will be fine; I have some concerns about the environment.

I completely agree with you that independent and parochial/Christian schools should NOT receive government funding. There is a place for both excellent public schools, which are as you say a huge part of our heritage in the US, and for independent schools. Most outstanding independent schools have huge endowments and can offer financial aid to those who could not possibly afford to attend otherwise. There is room and a need for both in our communities. But our public schools must always remain strong.

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

What an interesting message Suzanne! Where do you live? On the East Coast, I assume. My daughter in SoCal is principal at a math and science magnet school in the older part of her town. My three grandsons there go to arts magnet schools and have wonderful access to all the arts. The orchestra at the middle school is magnificent and huge, as are the beginning and advanced bands. They get to attend competitions with other similar schools in SoCal and came away with the top award this year. The theater arts teachers write their own plays based on the talents of their current crop of students. It is a great sadness that every child in CA doesn't get these opportunities. In our city here in Northern CA there are good choirs and an orchestra at one high school, but elementary music has been all but eliminated. Band is alive and well beginning at the middle school level, but when the kids can't start in fourth or fifth grade like my children did private instruction is the only option and the middle schools have no "feeder" programs to support their bands. We had our kids take outside lessons, too, but having an instructor and band at the elem level was critical to their enjoying music with other children their age. In CA there are also many county youth orchestras, but again private lessons are necessary to be qualified to belong. My son-in-law, who was a band director, is principal at a very good public middle school in their area. He's started a before school running program to motivate the kids to be fit and compete. The boys and girls love it and he runs with them. So, as you say, there are many good things happening in public education. To me, it has always seemed to come down to the individual teachers the children get each year, and we've known so many caring, highly motivated, fun individuals among these teachers. I, too, worked in a private school for a couple years, as an aide. The class sizes are smaller, but that didn't mean the kids necessarily got a better education. Private school's teacher pay is usually quite a bit less than public schools, at least where I've lived, and the benefits are not as good. We all know that teachers, like everyone else, try to get jobs with the best pay and benefits they can, which might mean the strongest teacher candidates would be found in public schools!

My two local kids are special ed teachers, the only category of public school that is state mandated to meet each child's needs through IEP's and thus still hiring!

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

Kay Re: Way off Topic

Kay, my husband taught in private schools for over thirty years. The most interesting one was his last school, Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, ME. It's a VERY old school - Hancock signed the charter in 1892, and Webster was once its Headmaster. It is a fully independent boarding school that also functions as the public high school for several small towns around Fryeburg. They have never had a public high school there - students always went to the Academy after completing 8th grade, a tradition typical in many small towns and rural areas. Of course, at that time, very few ever went beyond the 8th grade! They DO receive tax money as they function as the public high school for that school district. The taxpayers know they've got a great deal - small classes (few are over 18), and lots of personal attention, plus the opportunity for their children in this poor, rural area to meet students from all over the world (many, if not most of the boarders are foreign). But contrary to popular belief, most private schools feel they are best served when there is a STRONG public school system in the area. They then must strive to be still BETTER, and that is good for the community as a whole. They prefer the name "independent schools" to "private" as that is what they are and what they want to be - independent of anyone other than their Board of Trustees and the accrediting body telling them how to run their schools. They do NOT want government money as interference and control would come with it.My own children attended both public and independent schools. My late husband only attended independent schools, and I only attended public schools. All four of my grandchildren are in public schools, mainly for financial reasons. I do homework every afternoon with two of my grandchildren, and I have been pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their education. No, they do not get the art, music and PE that they would in an independent school. Their class sizes are larger than ideal. If they were not so very bright, that might cause them a problem as they would be hard-pressed to get the individual attention they might need. On the other hand, if they are identified as having learning disabilities, they do get small group attention every single day for about an hour, something independent schools do NOT offer. Next year, my oldest grandson will go to middle school. It is a science and math magnet school in a ghastly neighborhood. I think the education he will get there will be fine; I have some concerns about the environment. I completely agree with you that independent and parochial/Christian schools should NOT receive government funding. There is a place for both excellent public schools, which are as you say a huge part of our heritage in the US, and for independent schools. Most outstanding independent schools have huge endowments and can offer financial aid to those who could not possibly afford to attend otherwise. There is room and a need for both in our communities. But our public schools must always remain strong.Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Interesting to hear how it is in Florida Kistine. Administrators here in CA need to have graduate degrees, also. My children who are administrators do. The two who are in Special Ed also have several degrees and certificates to teach the various disability specialties they've taught (in addition to their degrees in their first professions, classical musicians); high school spec ed science for one and a master's in moderate/severe autism for the other. I find teachers in general here to be very well educated and the requirements for continuing education are increasing all the time. My cousin who teaches at a pricey private school in North Carolina needs (and has) only a bachelors, by comparison.

Kay Re: Way off TopicTo: bronchiectasis Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 8:37 AM

Kay, my husband taught in private schools for over thirty years. The most interesting one was his last school, Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, ME. It's a VERY old school - Hancock signed the charter in 1892, and Webster was once its Headmaster. It is a fully independent boarding school that also functions as the public high school for several small towns around Fryeburg. They have never had a public high school there - students always went to the Academy after completing 8th grade, a tradition typical in many small towns and rural areas. Of course, at that time, very few ever went beyond the 8th grade! They DO receive tax money as they function as the public high school for that school district. The taxpayers know they've got a great deal - small classes (few are over 18), and lots of personal attention, plus the opportunity for their children in this poor, rural area to meet students from all over the world (many, if not most of the boarders are foreign). But contrary to popular belief, most private schools feel they are best served when there is a STRONG public school system in the area. They then must strive to be still BETTER, and that is good for the community as a whole. They prefer the name "independent schools" to "private" as that is what they are and what they want to be - independent of anyone other than their Board of Trustees and the accrediting body telling them how to run their schools. They do NOT want government money as interference and control would come with it.My own children attended both public and independent schools. My late husband only attended independent schools, and I only attended public schools. All four of my grandchildren are in public schools, mainly for financial reasons. I do homework every afternoon with two of my grandchildren, and I have been pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their education. No, they do not get the art, music and PE that they would in an independent school. Their class sizes are larger than ideal. If they were not so very bright, that might cause them a problem as they would be hard-pressed to get the individual attention they might need. On the other hand, if they are identified as having learning disabilities, they do get small group attention every single day for about an hour, something independent schools do NOT offer. Next year, my oldest grandson will go to middle school. It is a science and math magnet school in a ghastly neighborhood. I think the education he will get there will be fine; I have some concerns about the environment. I completely agree with you that independent and parochial/Christian schools should NOT receive government funding. There is a place for both excellent public schools, which are as you say a huge part of our heritage in the US, and for independent schools. Most outstanding independent schools have huge endowments and can offer financial aid to those who could not possibly afford to attend otherwise. There is room and a need for both in our communities. But our public schools must always remain strong.Suzanne

[Guest guest]

I live in Louisville, KY. We kept our home here when my husband taught in Maine

for 10 years - we had a commuter marriage and it was one hell of a commute! We

were VERY glad we had kept our home when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer -

we came home immediately as it's an hour and a half drive from Fryeburg (where

we lived) to Portland where we would have gotten medical care.

Maine has some decent public schools and some lousy ones like any place. KY is

certainly not known for it's great schools (the unofficial " motto " is " Thank God

for Mississippi " ! The elementary school my two grandsons attend is the best in

Louisville - lots of parental involvement.

Louisville deals with desegregation by having " cluster schools " . There are

multiple schools in each cluster, including some that have a " specialty " (never

understood this in elementary grades). Their school participates in the

" Advance " program for math and science - that starts in 3rd or 4th grade and

children must apply for it - based on grades, test scores and teacher

recommendations. They have separate math/science classes and all others are

with the general population of the school. Transportation is provided for

students to all the schools in their cluster, and other schools as well, though

it may require a long bus ride and a change of bus.

In middle school, the more desirable magnet schools are all in terrible

neighborhoods. They're really a " school within a school " . The only time my

grandson will have contact with the children in that neighborhood is home room,

lunch and PE. All other classes are with those who qualified for the advanced

math and science program. It's still a bit scary - if it were a granddaughter,

I'd probably sell something to send her elsewhere, but Henry will be fine - very

bright, savy, confident child. The academics are excellent so that is why one

tolerates the less than lovely atmosphere.

Again, the high schools draw from the various clusters, or are specialized. My

grandsons will most likely apply to the high school that has a math/science

magnet program. It's an outstanding high school and always has more Nat'l Merit

Finalists than any school in town, including the independent schools. There is

a performing arts magnet high school and others as well. ly, I'd like to

see these two grandsons go to boarding school in the East. My son and husband

went to Deerfield Academy, an outstanding school. The classes and instruction

are just superb, with amazing opportunities for sports, the arts etc as well as

advanced academic subjects.

I can assure you that at the top independent schools, salaries are comparable to

those of top public school districts, and the benefits are excellent. With

housing and meals thrown in at boarding schools, it's a very desirable

employment option. And of course, one is teaching highly intelligent and highly

motivated students with very supportive families. I would strongly disagree

that the strongest teacher candidates are found in public schools!

The problem is that all independent schools are lumped together. The top

schools are all not-for-profit; many of the ones found in CA in particular (we

lived there for 3 yrs in the early 80's), are proprietary schools and that makes

a huge difference. Then there are the " christian schools " - they pay next to

nothing to their teachers, have limited endowments and limited financial aid.

When one is looking at independent schools, one wants to find ones that are

members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The

student/teacher ratio is usually between 6-1 and 10-1, far below that of public

schools. Physical plants tend to be outstanding, with gorgeous fine arts

centers, theaters, and amazing sports facilities.

Many, many years ago, I read a very funny article in an NAIS publication. It

was written by a man who had previously taught in public schools and now was

teaching in an independent school. He said he was constantly asked about the

differences between the two and had come up with a simple statement. He said

that in public schools, when a dog come onto the school grounds, all the

children are hurried inside and Animal Control is called, while everyone is VERY

worried. In independent schools, faculty dogs pretty much have the run of the

campus and are lounged in sofas in the library, in the halls and in the

classrooms! Pretty funny and VERY true!

The biggest differences I've seen are that many, many teachers in public schools

use atrocious grammar - even the principal of my grandsons' school makes

constant mistakes. I find that appalling! The other difference is that most

public school teachers have degrees in education; in independent schools,

especially at the middle and upper school levels, most teachers have degrees in

the field in which they teach. My husband had to get certified in order to

teach at Fryeburg Academy since it received public funds. He said the education

courses he took were the dumbest ever and an amazing waste of time and money.

Fortunately, the school paid for them, not us! The other is that most

independent schools follow the English boarding school tradition of knowing the

students in the classroom, on the playing field, and in other extracurriculars,

or in the case of boarding schools, by living with the students in dorms. One

truly learns to know a child this way.

My other two grandchildren go to public school in Darien, CT. It is a town

known for its excellent public schools. They have not considered independent

schools as those in that area of CT are filled with children from families with

a level of affluence that is hard to even comprehend (think hedge fund

managers). My son said he would not do that to his children. I don't know if

they will go to boarding school in high school or not. They could afford it,

but my daughter-in-law might not allow it. If it were the right school for his

children, I think my son would love to see them go to Deerfield (it's now co-ed

- was all boys when my husband and son went there). They're in Kindergarten and

1st grade so we have a lot of time to see how that goes!

As I said, I've been pleasantly surprised at how good the public school is that

my grandsons attend. My daughter went to a independent day school here in

Louisville, but frankly, I don't think they are giving the kind of bang for ones

buck that would justify the $16,000-$18,000 tuition charged (sliding scale based

on grade level). They were doing so when she attended (she graduated in 1990),

but I don't feel they are doing so now. It's a moot point - my daughter and her

husband cannot afford that, and I cannot afford to help enough to make it

possible. Remember, my husband was a teacher!

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

As a teacher, I agree stongly that public schools need the funding. My school where I teach has won an award called "Those that Exceed in Illinois" for many years. My children attended public school and are doing very well as adults in an economy that is struggling.

Cindi W.

To: bronchiectasis Sent: Tue, April 26, 2011 12:08:33 AMSubject: Re: Way off Topic

More and more kids go to private schools here in Calif, especially the non-Catholic Christian ones. Most children in the U.S. still go to public schools, but on the East Coast I believe private school attendance is much more common. I have four public school teachers (and administrators) among my children, and our family is a staunch supporter of public education. We feel strongly that if private schools receive support in any form, public schools will only go down in performance and attendance. Free education for all, with no books or uniforms to buy in order to be able to attend, is part of our heritage. Of course it's not "free", it's tax supported. I can tell you that my grandchildren are each getting a great education at their public schools. Their parents wouldn't settle for anything less!

Kay Way off Topic

Hi everyone

I know this is way off the topic of bronch, but as members come from around the globe I thought it might be worth a discussion.

I was reading the paper & I read that in Australia 63% of children attend private schools - the majority of these would be Catholic schools. When I started teaching 70% of children went to govt schools & 30% went to private schools. There has been a stead increase in private schols over the years helped by the large amount of govt funding to assist them. Private schools are heavily funded in Australia.

Is this happening in other parts of the world?

Private schools have always been seen as more prestigious than govt schools.

Keep well everyone. Theresa

[Guest guest]

This is all interesting, but I'm about tapped out on time to make in-depth replies .

Kay

Re: Way off Topic

I live in Louisville, KY. We kept our home here when my husband taught in Maine for 10 years - we had a commuter marriage and it was one hell of a commute! We were VERY glad we had kept our home when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer - we came home immediately as it's an hour and a half drive from Fryeburg (where we lived) to Portland where we would have gotten medical care.Maine has some decent public schools and some lousy ones like any place. KY is certainly not known for it's great schools (the unofficial "motto" is "Thank God for Mississippi"! The elementary school my two grandsons attend is the best in Louisville - lots of parental involvement. Louisville deals with desegregation by having "cluster schools". There are multiple schools in each cluster, including some that have a "specialty" (never understood this in elementary grades). Their school participates in the "Advance" program for math and science - that starts in 3rd or 4th grade and children must apply for it - based on grades, test scores and teacher recommendations. They have separate math/science classes and all others are with the general population of the school. Transportation is provided for students to all the schools in their cluster, and other schools as well, though it may require a long bus ride and a change of bus. In middle school, the more desirable magnet schools are all in terrible neighborhoods. They're really a "school within a school". The only time my grandson will have contact with the children in that neighborhood is home room, lunch and PE. All other classes are with those who qualified for the advanced math and science program. It's still a bit scary - if it were a granddaughter, I'd probably sell something to send her elsewhere, but Henry will be fine - very bright, savy, confident child. The academics are excellent so that is why one tolerates the less than lovely atmosphere.Again, the high schools draw from the various clusters, or are specialized. My grandsons will most likely apply to the high school that has a math/science magnet program. It's an outstanding high school and always has more Nat'l Merit Finalists than any school in town, including the independent schools. There is a performing arts magnet high school and others as well. ly, I'd like to see these two grandsons go to boarding school in the East. My son and husband went to Deerfield Academy, an outstanding school. The classes and instruction are just superb, with amazing opportunities for sports, the arts etc as well as advanced academic subjects. I can assure you that at the top independent schools, salaries are comparable to those of top public school districts, and the benefits are excellent. With housing and meals thrown in at boarding schools, it's a very desirable employment option. And of course, one is teaching highly intelligent and highly motivated students with very supportive families. I would strongly disagree that the strongest teacher candidates are found in public schools! The problem is that all independent schools are lumped together. The top schools are all not-for-profit; many of the ones found in CA in particular (we lived there for 3 yrs in the early 80's), are proprietary schools and that makes a huge difference. Then there are the "christian schools" - they pay next to nothing to their teachers, have limited endowments and limited financial aid. When one is looking at independent schools, one wants to find ones that are members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The student/teacher ratio is usually between 6-1 and 10-1, far below that of public schools. Physical plants tend to be outstanding, with gorgeous fine arts centers, theaters, and amazing sports facilities. Many, many years ago, I read a very funny article in an NAIS publication. It was written by a man who had previously taught in public schools and now was teaching in an independent school. He said he was constantly asked about the differences between the two and had come up with a simple statement. He said that in public schools, when a dog come onto the school grounds, all the children are hurried inside and Animal Control is called, while everyone is VERY worried. In independent schools, faculty dogs pretty much have the run of the campus and are lounged in sofas in the library, in the halls and in the classrooms! Pretty funny and VERY true!The biggest differences I've seen are that many, many teachers in public schools use atrocious grammar - even the principal of my grandsons' school makes constant mistakes. I find that appalling! The other difference is that most public school teachers have degrees in education; in independent schools, especially at the middle and upper school levels, most teachers have degrees in the field in which they teach. My husband had to get certified in order to teach at Fryeburg Academy since it received public funds. He said the education courses he took were the dumbest ever and an amazing waste of time and money. Fortunately, the school paid for them, not us! The other is that most independent schools follow the English boarding school tradition of knowing the students in the classroom, on the playing field, and in other extracurriculars, or in the case of boarding schools, by living with the students in dorms. One truly learns to know a child this way. My other two grandchildren go to public school in Darien, CT. It is a town known for its excellent public schools. They have not considered independent schools as those in that area of CT are filled with children from families with a level of affluence that is hard to even comprehend (think hedge fund managers). My son said he would not do that to his children. I don't know if they will go to boarding school in high school or not. They could afford it, but my daughter-in-law might not allow it. If it were the right school for his children, I think my son would love to see them go to Deerfield (it's now co-ed - was all boys when my husband and son went there). They're in Kindergarten and 1st grade so we have a lot of time to see how that goes!As I said, I've been pleasantly surprised at how good the public school is that my grandsons attend. My daughter went to a independent day school here in Louisville, but frankly, I don't think they are giving the kind of bang for ones buck that would justify the $16,000-$18,000 tuition charged (sliding scale based on grade level). They were doing so when she attended (she graduated in 1990), but I don't feel they are doing so now. It's a moot point - my daughter and her husband cannot afford that, and I cannot afford to help enough to make it possible. Remember, my husband was a teacher! Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Congratulations on your school's award, Cindi! Schools are like other places of employment, there are exemplary employees who give the job their all and there are those who are marking time and collecting paychecks. My children and grandchildren have all attended public schools and have had some marvelously creative teachers and a few lemons, but thankfully very few.

My sister went to a private K-8 school and one of the best high schools in CA (according to test scores and ratings) in Cupertino, CA and to UCLA for BA and MA in English, and she is not an inspiring English teacher. Attitude and effort have so much to do with the process of educating, and my sister lacks these. My cousin who teaches at the expensive private school in Charlotte, N. Carolina grew up in Concord, near Boston, and attended the same private schoosl as the Kennedy children, then went to USC. She's creative and bright, but much of her creative teaching style came from her creative, world-traveled mom, my dad's 91 yr old sister.

And so it is in life.

Kay Way off Topic

Hi everyone

I know this is way off the topic of bronch, but as members come from around the globe I thought it might be worth a discussion.

I was reading the paper & I read that in Australia 63% of children attend private schools - the majority of these would be Catholic schools. When I started teaching 70% of children went to govt schools & 30% went to private schools. There has been a stead increase in private schols over the years helped by the large amount of govt funding to assist them. Private schools are heavily funded in Australia.

Is this happening in other parts of the world?

Private schools have always been seen as more prestigious than govt schools.

Keep well everyone. Theresa

[Guest guest]

hi Theresa,

not quite so way off topic - but did you see the SBS " Insight "

program last week - on MRSA, and MDR (multi-drug resistance),

mentioned that ALL our meat & poultry are fed low-dose antibiotics

(which few people seem aware of) which one dr said would be exactly

the way to do it if you wanted to create drug resistance. Also

discussed a TB issue which could quite possibly spread to Cairns,

especially as remote clinics have suddenly been told they'll receive

no more funding (will mean those who're currently kept ok by oral

meds will become sick and die within about 6 months, infecting many

others & there's a lot of people movement between the islands and

Cairns.

I don't know if those of you in US get much Aussie TV, probably not?

It would be watchable streamed, google " SBS TV Australia Insight May

10 " - hopefully that would get you pretty close to the right path.

Very informative, well worth watching - did also have some

encouraging comments about abx R & D, tho admittedly not fast enough.

Any incidence of TB in the States?

Joy h

[Guest guest]

TB has become more of a problem in the US, but it is almost always as a result

of contact with people from Third World countries who bring it here.

While I have some concerns about the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, I

don't think it has caused great harm here. I think the program you watched had

a major political agenda and was perhaps a bit alarmist.

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Here it's the same with meat and poultry being fed anti's to fend off the everpresent bacteria they must cope with due to being housed in deplorab close quarters. No room to spread their wings, no fresh air, no natural sunlight, fed rich diets to fatten them to market weight in six to eight weeks of life on Earth! Same with farm raised fish, swimming in one another's poop in caged water. Not much different with other farmed animals.

Easy answer, eat vegetarian and only wild caught seafood! There are so many protein sources other than meat and poultry; tofu, tempeh, beans, nuts, free range eggs and cheeses.

Kay Re: Way off Topic

hi Theresa,not quite so way off topic - but did you see the SBS "Insight" program last week - on MRSA, and MDR (multi-drug resistance), mentioned that ALL our meat & poultry are fed low-dose antibiotics (which few people seem aware of) which one dr said would be exactly the way to do it if you wanted to create drug resistance. Also discussed a TB issue which could quite possibly spread to Cairns, especially as remote clinics have suddenly been told they'll receive no more funding (will mean those who're currently kept ok by oral meds will become sick and die within about 6 months, infecting many others & there's a lot of people movement between the islands and Cairns.I don't know if those of you in US get much Aussie TV, probably not? It would be watchable streamed, google "SBS TV Australia Insight May 10" - hopefully that would get you pretty close to the right path. Very informative, well worth watching - did also have some encouraging comments about abx R & D, tho admittedly not fast enough. Any incidence of TB in the States?Joy h

[Guest guest]

Soy protein is made into many tasty foods, also; Morningstar brand sausages, bacon, burgers of myriad types, ground meat subs that can go into any type of dish in which one would use hamburger. There are also "chickenless" and "beefless" strips with various sauces (BBQ, Asian). The science of making these foods has reached a level where they are very good tasting and have a nice texture. Tofurky brand lunch meats and Italian and other flavor sausages are well spiced and surprisingly tasty; so much less fat, too!

There is TB in the US, especially among drug users, HIV infected people, immigrants from countries where TB is endemic, and prisioners. However, I believe the level of infection in the general population is very low. Others may know more.

Kay

Re: Way off Topic

hi Theresa,not quite so way off topic - but did you see the SBS "Insight" program last week - on MRSA, and MDR (multi-drug resistance), mentioned that ALL our meat & poultry are fed low-dose antibiotics (which few people seem aware of) which one dr said would be exactly the way to do it if you wanted to create drug resistance. Also discussed a TB issue which could quite possibly spread to Cairns, especially as remote clinics have suddenly been told they'll receive no more funding (will mean those who're currently kept ok by oral meds will become sick and die within about 6 months, infecting many others & there's a lot of people movement between the islands and Cairns.I don't know if those of you in US get much Aussie TV, probably not? It would be watchable streamed, google "SBS TV Australia Insight May 10" - hopefully that would get you pretty close to the right path. Very informative, well worth watching - did also have some encouraging comments about abx R & D, tho admittedly not fast enough. Any incidence of TB in the States?Joy h